Dissolvable downhole hydraulic fracturing tools composed of bulk metal glass and thermoplastic polymer composites

Abstract

A downhole hydraulic frac tool for use in a hydraulic fracturing system, the frac tool comprising a dissolvable frac tool member that includes a water-dissolvable composition, the composition including: a water-soluble thermoplastic polymer; and water-soluble bulk metallic glass (BMG) particles, wherein: the BMG particles are embedded within a matrix of the water-soluble thermoplastic polymer, the BMG particles have a greater tensile strength than a tensile strength the water-soluble thermoplastic polymer, and the BMG particles have a higher fracture toughness than a fracture toughness the water-soluble thermoplastic polymer. A method of manufacturing a dissolvable downhole hydraulic frac tool member and, a hydraulic fracturing system associated with a wellbore in which dissolvable downhole hydraulic frac tools of the disclosure can be used, are also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A downhole hydraulic frac tool for use in a hydraulic fracturing system, the frac tool comprising:
 a dissolvable frac tool member that includes a water-dissolvable composition, the composition including:
 a water-soluble thermoplastic polymer; and 
 water-soluble bulk metallic glass (BMG) particles, wherein:
 the BMG particles are embedded within a matrix of the water-soluble thermoplastic polymer, 
 the BMG particles have a greater tensile strength than a tensile strength the water-soluble thermoplastic polymer, 
 the BMG particles have a higher fracture toughness than a fracture toughness the water-soluble thermoplastic polymer, and 
 the BMG particles have an average size in a range of 50 to 100 nm. 
 
 
 
     
     
       2. The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the BMG particles are wetted with the water-soluble thermoplastic polymer such that a contact angle between the BGMs, when in a super fluid state, and the polymer thermoplastic polymer is less than 90 degrees. 
     
     
       3. The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the BMG particles have a partially amorphous structure. 
     
     
       4. The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the frac tool member is a frac plug. 
     
     
       5. The tool of  claim 4 , wherein the tensile strength of the frac plug has a value in a range of 5 to 300 percent greater than a tensile strength of the polymer alone. 
     
     
       6. The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the frac tool member is a frac ball. 
     
     
       7. The tool of  claim 6 , wherein the fracture toughness of the frac ball has a value in a range of 5 to 250 percent greater than a fracture toughness of the polymer alone. 
     
     
       8. The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the BMG particles are composed of a first alkaline earth metal as a major element, a second different alkaline earth metal as a first minor element and a second minor element of zinc. 
     
     
       9. A downhole hydraulic frac tool for use in a hydraulic fracturing system, the frac tool comprising:
 a dissolvable frac tool member that includes a water-dissolvable composition, the composition including:
 a water-soluble thermoplastic polymer; and 
 water-soluble bulk metallic glass (BMG) particles, wherein:
 the BMG particles are embedded within a matrix of the water-soluble thermoplastic polymer, 
 the BMG particles have a greater tensile strength than a tensile strength the water-soluble thermoplastic polymer, 
 the BMG particles have a higher fracture toughness than a fracture toughness the water-soluble thermoplastic polymer, and 
 the BMG particles have a temperature of superplastic flowability that is in a moldability temperature range of the water-soluble thermoplastic polymer. 
 
 
 
     
     
       10. The tool of  claim 9 , wherein the BMG particles are superplastic at the temperature of superplastic flowability for a time period in a range from 300 to 600 minutes. 
     
     
       11. A downhole hydraulic frac tool for use in a hydraulic fracturing system, the frac tool comprising:
 a dissolvable frac tool member that includes a water-dissolvable composition, the composition including:
 a water-soluble thermoplastic polymer; and 
 water-soluble bulk metallic glass (BMG) particles, wherein:
 the BMG particles are embedded within a matrix of the water-soluble thermoplastic polymer, 
 the BMG particles have a greater tensile strength than a tensile strength the water-soluble thermoplastic polymer, 
 the BMG particles have a higher fracture toughness than a fracture toughness the water-soluble thermoplastic polymer, 
 the composition includes a weight percent of the BMG particles in a range from 1 to 35 wt % of a total weight of the composition and balance the water-soluble thermoplastic polymer, and 
 the weight percent of the BMG particles in the composition varies by at least 50 wt % along at least one dimension of the frac tool member. 
 
 
 
     
     
       12. The tool of  claim 11 , wherein the least one dimension is a radial distance from an exterior surface of the frac tool to an interior location of the frac tool that is a value in a range of from 1 to 4 cm from the exterior surface. 
     
     
       13. The tool of  claim 11 , wherein the variation in the weight percent of the BMG particles along the least one dimension is graded to change from a low value to a high value from an exterior surface of the tool member to an interior location in the tool member. 
     
     
       14. The tool of  claim 11 , wherein the weight percent of the BMG particle is a constant value along a portion of the at least one dimension.